A "house" is essentially a container -- for a person, a family, several families or even a large group with shared interests (think of the term "houses of worship.") In the Bible, a "house" is also a container, but for spiritual things rather than natural things. In various uses a "house" can represent part of the mind, the whole mind, a whole person or even a church. The other nuance to the word "house" is that it is generally used in regards to our affections and desires rather than our thoughts and principles. This makes sense; we tend to engage our thoughts and rationality when we are out in the world doing our work, but when we are inside our houses we are driven most by love for our families and the desire to be good to those we love. So "house" tends to represent the things we want and care about -- which are ultimately the things that define us.

3642. One morning I was in company with angelic spirits who in thought and speech were acting as one, as they were accustomed to do. This unity of thought and speech also extended towards, and reached into hell, insomuch that the angelic spirits appeared to be acting as one with those in hell. But good and truth as these existed with the angels underwent among those in hell an amazing conversion into evil and falsity, a conversion that took place by degrees as the good and truth flowed downwards, where hell was acting as one by means of false persuasions and evil desires. Although the hells are outside the Grand Man, nevertheless in this way they are made so to speak into a single entity and thereby are kept in order, according to which they are associated with one another. Thus the Lord from the Divine governs the hells also.